Couture Report Fall/Winter 2011

Chanel – Karl Lagerfeld brought us back to the forties with tightened waists and exaggerated hips all in classic Chanel fabrics. It felt like a couture show.

Chanel

Valentino – Velvet, silk and sheer where just some of the many fabrics used in Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli’s (design duo of Valentino) show. It felt very light and delicate, but at the same time it had a winter feel to it. Perfect for the Valentino customer.

Valentino

Givenchy – White white and more white. Riccardo Tisci opted for light color and light fabrics for this couture collection. The top half of the garment was the detailed and delicate part using feathers and pearls to create a dramtic piece. The bottom half was light, airy and sheer. Beautiful, but I want to see something a little different next year.

Givenchy

Armani Privé – Does he ever get it wrong? This season, Giorgio Armani dedicated his collection to Japan. Using floral prints, vibrantly coloured sequins and hats by Philip Treacy, the whole collection tipped off perfect and pristine…..as usual.

Armani Privé

Jean Paul Gaultier – These days people take couture too seriously. Apart from Jean Paul Gaultier of course. Fun, glamorous and crazy. They are three perfect words to describe JPG’s couture collection. It’s always nice to put the madness back into fashion.

Jean Paul Gaultier

Giambattista Valli – I was wondering how Mr. Valli would carry off his first ever couture collection. There was absolutely no disappointment with dresses flowing right down the runway in lipstick red, leopard print and  floral prints added to red carpet ready dresses. Bravo Valli!

Giambattista Valli

Azzedine Alaia – With an EIGHT year break, Azzedine Alaia has come back to couture bigger and better. The collection was nothing but perfect with fitted wool coats and jackets and trimmed mohair dresses. That expalins wht the crowd gave the design genius a standing ovation. He deserved it.

Azzedine Alaia

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Filed under: Armani Privé, Azzedine Alaia, Chanel, Chanel Haute Couture, Fall/Winter 2011, Fashion, Gavin Norton, Giambattista Valli, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Haute Couture, Jean Paul Gaultier, Karl Lagerfeld, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Philip Trracy, Pier Paolo Piccioli, Riccardo Tisci, Valentino, Armani Privé, Azzedine Alaia, Chanel, Fall/Winter 2011, Fashion, Gavin Norton, Giambattista Valli, Givenchy, Haute Couture, Jean Paul Gaultier, Valentino

Velvet Couture

I think we know what fabric the aristocrats will be wearing this season!

Jean Paul Gaultier

Valentino

Armani Privé

Azzedine Alaia

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Filed under: Armani Privé, Azzedine Alaia, Fashion, Gavin Norton, Haute Couture, Jean Paul Gaultier, Valentino, Armani Privé, Azzedine Alaia, Fashion, Gavin Norton, Haute Couture, Jean Paul Gaultier, Valentino

Best Dressed

I don’t usually do ‘best dressed of the week’, but after seeing this outfit I felt I had to. How Fab does Daphne Guinness look in this couture kimono at model Natalia Vodianova’s love ball? The hat is also a couture piece designed by Philip Treacy for Armani privé, seen at the show just a few days ago. Best dressed by far…..very far!

Daphne Guinness

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Filed under: Armani Privé, Daphne Guinness, Fashion, Gavin Norton, Givenchy, Haute Couture, Love Ball, Natalia Vodianova, Style, Armani Privé, Daphne Guinness, Fashion, Gavin Norton, Givenchy, Haute Couture, Love Ball, Natalia Vodianova, Style

Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011

Hmmmm, where to begin. When the show started it was……ok. 1960’s prints were injected into classic Dior and Galliano styles, but as the show went on, the shapes became unflattering and messy.

1960's print

Then the sheer dresses entered, which looked like a completely different collection and certainly did not look like couture.

Sheer Dress

Finally the gowns came down the grey runway, which again looked like a different collection. There was a beautiful shape to the dresses, but the fabric looked like it had been glued on and stuck together. Galliano’s absence was certainly noticed.

Final Gown

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Filed under: Christian Dior, Dior, Fashion, Gavin Norton, Haute Couture, John Galliano, Christian Dior, Dior, Fashion, Gavin Norton, Haute Couture, John Galliano

Couture, Couture

What is Haute Couture? Good question. It seems to be a different world that only certain people can enter. Twice a year, paris holds Haute Couture Fashion Week where only the ‘private club’ and fashion editors attend. The ‘private club’ is a group of women who buy these Haute Couture (or made to order) pieces from designers with extreme attention to detail. Prices range from €20,000 to €200,000, but if you are thin enough to fit into the sample size, you get a 30% discount. As the private club say, “if your not rich, you dont understand”. “It’s like wearing a second skin”. “Once you start, you wont wear anything else”. With Haute Couture Fashion Week starting tomorrow, I wanted to know more about these private members and how they buy these extravagant pieces. Some have agreed to be interviewed for the documentary ‘The Secret World Of Haute Couture”. So here it is.

GN

Filed under: Fashion, Gavin Norton, Haute Couture, Style, Fashion, Gavin Norton, Haute Couture, Style